Alternate Beginning to After Disaster
by thevinylfreak
Summary: An alternate beginning to my story, "After Disaster". I reread the story and I didn't like it, so I wrote this. Characters belong to James Cameron's 1997 film of Titanic.


Rose DeWitt-Bukater – no wait, Rose DeWitt-Bukater died on the _Titanic_. This was Rose Dawson. Rose had lost her love, Jack Dawson to the deep, dark, frozen waters of the North Atlantic the night that _Titanic_ went down. She'd struck an iceberg at around 11:40 PM, resulting in the sinking about three hours later. Rose smiled as a memory from that night surged through her thoughts.

…

Jack and Rose raced to the side of the ship, the side where the iceberg struck it. They looked down, along with many other curious and frightened passengers to try to see if the iceberg had done any damage.

"_I just felt an iceberg, did you see anything?" asked a man on the deck above them._

"_No, I don't see anything now, do you?" asked another. Jack pulled himself back into the boat._

"_Well, it looks all right," he said. "I don't see anything."_

"_Could it have damaged the ship?" asked Rose, one hand on the railing._

"_It didn't seem like much of a bump," said Jack, a curious expression on his face. "I think we're all right." Jack looked over towards the stern of the ship. Rose did the same, and a smirk formed on her face. She lifted her hidden hand, revealing a chunk of ice in it. She carefully reached over to Jack and, undetected, quickly pulled back his shirt and shoved the ice in. Jack let out a shriek as the cold hit his skin and he dropped to his knees, trying to pull the ice out while a giggling Rose kept shoving it in. "All right!" Jack gritted his teeth as he pulled the ice out. Rose stepped back as he stood up again. "All right, that's it! That's it, you're going overboard!" Rose tried to push his hands away as he reached for her, laughing._

"_No! No!" she screamed, laughing._

"_You're going overboard!" Jack said, wrapping his arms around her waist, picking her up and half dangling her over the edge of the ship._

"_NO!" Rose shrieked, still laughing. Jack was laughing, too. He pulled Rose back in and kissed her. Rose pushed him away, laughing. "You're a jerk!" She walked away from the edge, but Jack ran to the front of her and hugged her._

"_And I love you, too," he said to her._

…

Rose felt tears stinging her eyes as the memory evaporated from her mind. This man was so brave that he died for her, just as she would be willing to do for him. She loved him so much, and still did. But he was dead, and there was nothing she could do about it. Jack had made her promise to go on, to live her life, and to never let go. Rose did as she was told, and they were silent. Jack waiting to die and Rose just waiting… waiting…. A man coughed nearby. Rose's blanketed head jerked up to see a man standing at the stern, smoking. Rose could not believe what she was seeing. This man, whoever he was, looked like Jack. He was wearing exactly what Jack was wearing when he died on the ship, from the same messy hairstyle to the same dark brown shoes, and the suspenders that Rose often pulled and snapped back onto his chest for laughs. She took her chances and walked up the steps that led to the deck and the stern. Her face hidden by the blanket, she walked up to him.

"Hello," she said to him.

"Good evening, ma'am," replied the man. Rose peeped out from the side of the blanket to look at the side of his face. From what she could see, half of his lips, his nose, and his left eye and ear, looked exactly as they did on the ship. Rose was starting to get scared, because she thought she was seeing a ghost.

"You a passenger on this ship?" asked Rose, shaking off the fear.

"I am now," said the man. "I was on the _Titanic_. Rescued from the water with five other passengers. I was so cold and tired, I didn't even take the time to look at their faces." He took a puff from the cigarette.

"I was one of those five rescued passengers," said Rose.

"Were you?" asked Jack. Rose nodded, her face still hidden. "No one spoke on that boat, I know that. I only saw a couple of passengers when they pulled me in. I saw a Chinese man, a woman with curly-blonde hair whom I recognized as Lynette McBragginson, and another woman lying down on one of the seats. I sat down behind her."

"That one woman on the seat was me," said Rose.

"Was it?" Jack asked, looking at her. "Small world, isn't it?" He held out his right hand to her. "I'm Jack, by the way. Jack Dawson." The fear crept up inside Rose again. She just couldn't bring herself to believe that this man was her lost love. She looked up at him and peered into his piercing blue eyes. Jack gasped, and just looked at her. "Rose?" Rose didn't move, nor did she speak. She just stood there staring at him, as he did the same. "Rose, I-I…" Jack struggled for words. "I thought you died on the ship!" Rose finally gained control of her body and started stepping backwards slowly. "Rose, wait, don't walk away."

"You can't be here," she whispered.

"What? Rose, I…" Jack began, but she cut him off.

"I know what I saw! Jack was frozen! He died of hypothermia! You're not here! You can't be!" Rose shouted at him.

"But I am," Jack whispered, trying to console her.

"No, I don't believe it. I can't!" Rose exclaimed as she backed into a bench and Jack stepped forward.

"Well, you should believe it, because I'm right here for you. I'm not going anywhere," he told her. He reached for her face, but Rose hacked up sputum and spit it his face.

"YOU'RE NOT HERE!" she shouted before running away, dropping the blanket. Jack wiped her spit off of his face.

"You taught her well, Dawson," he told himself. Then he took off after Rose. "ROSE! ROSE, WAIT!" Rose looked over her shoulder to see him chasing her, than picked up her pace. Jack noticed her getting farther ahead, and he knew he was faster than her, so he picked up his pace as well. He reached out for her shoulder, but it was just out of reach. Rose looked back to see him so close and made a quick left turn around a structure. Jack kept going forward for a few more steps before stopping. He looked at her as she ran away and turned another corner with a sad look. He sat down on a bench and put his face in his hands as a memory surged through his thoughts.

…

Jack stood on the bow, his hair blowing in the wind, just watching the ship slice through the water. He was thinking. He had to protect Rose, he just had to! But she didn't want him to, and she didn't want to speak with him or see him. So he pouted on the bow when he heard footsteps behind him, though he didn't bother to look.

"_Hello, Jack," came Rose's voice from behind him. Jack whipped his head around to look at her. "I've changed my mind. Fabrizio said you might be up here…" Jack held his finger to his lips._

"_Shh… Come here," he told her. She walked over to him and he put his hands on her waist. "Close your eyes." Rose closed her eyes, and Jack turned her around to face forward. "Step up onto the rail. Hold on. Keep your eyes closed." Jack helped her step up onto the rail and he took both of her hands. "Do you trust me?"_

"_I trust you," said Rose, her eyes still closed. Slowly, Jack raised her arms, as if she were flying. He put his hands on her waist to support her._

"_Okay, open them," he whispered in her ear. Rose opened her eyes and gasped as she looked out to the sun-setting horizon hitting the water. The wind was blowing their hair all around them, but that didn't matter at the moment. _

"_I'm flying! Jack!" Rose exclaimed. Jack put his chin on her shoulder._

"_Come Josephine, in my flying machine. Going up she goes, up she goes," he sang quietly in her ear. Rose laughed. She closed her eyes, and leaned her back against his chest. He reached out to her hands and entwined his fingers around hers. He leaned his face against her head, and Rose turned to look at him. Jack lowered her arms, along with his. He had his arms wrapped around her, her hands still in his. They leaned in slowly, and finally, their lips met, kissing each other passionately, deeply. This was the moment when Jack and Rose fell in love._

…

Jack opened his eyes, and saw Rose peering around the corner of the structure. He got up and walked over to her.

"Rose, what are you…" he began to say.

"SHHH!" Rose hissed, pushing him back to where he was before. They were behind the structure, Rose watching around the corner carefully.

"Rose, what are you doing?" Jack asked her in a quieter tone. Rose held her finger to her lips.

"Lovejoy survived the sinking," she whispered. Jack remembered when Lovejoy had tried to shoot them. Jack had thought that he'd gotten Lovejoy, but apparently not. "He's got the gun. He's still after us." Jack's senses kicked in and he pushed Rose gently away from the corner as he watched Lovejoy appear on the other end of the ship, searching for them. Jack took Rose's hand, and Rose removed her high-heeled shoes. They sunk down to the deck, and carefully watched as Lovejoy got closer, searching under the benches. Jack looked back at Rose and put his finger to his lips. He motioned for her to stay put, and while Lovejoy looked away, dodged behind a bench.

"I know you're up here," said Lovejoy as he got closer to the corner where Rose was hiding. Rose was struck frozen with fear, and Jack watched her with worry as Lovejoy neared her. "You know I'll find you." Jack was careful with his movements. He dodged behind the benches when Lovejoy wasn't watching. He got behind a bench near the corner when Lovejoy came around and saw Rose, a smirk forming on his face. Jack jumped out from behind the bench and tackled Lovejoy to the ground. Rose felt her body run away from the scene, Jack watching helplessly as she ran. Lovejoy took this moment to grab him by the back of the neck and slam him headfirst into a window, breaking it. Jack grabbed his face from behind and ducked as he threw Lovejoy's face into the wall. Rose stopped as she heard the window break and Jack's shriek of pain. She didn't know what to do. All of a sudden, the sound of a gunfire sounded, and Rose let out a small scream. Lovejoy picked up Jack by the suspenders and threw him across the deck. Jack landed in a backbreaking position on a bench. Lovejoy couldn't find the gun as he made his way towards Jack.

"You're a little shit," he told Jack before punching him in the face. "Courtesy of Mr. Caledon Hockley."

"And you're a bigger one!" shouted Rose as she dived on him, punching him in the face. "Compliments of the Manhattan Bukaters!" Jack regained his consciousness and watched his sweetheart punching and kicking at Lovejoy. Lovejoy pushed her off of him and stood up, Rose jumping up as well.

"Your mother is worried about you, but I don't think she'll mind this," Lovejoy said, punching Rose in the face. The moment Jack saw this happen, he jumped off the bench and pushed Lovejoy into a pole.

"Jack!" Rose cried as Lovejoy kicked him in an uncomfortable spot. Jack looked up at him with fury and hatred.

"Compliments of the Chippewa Falls Dawsons!" Jack exclaimed, punching Lovejoy in the face. Lovejoy was out cold after that.

"JACK!" Rose screeched as she ran over to him. Jack swept her into her arms as she kissed him all over his face. "Oh, Jack! You're bleeding!" Rose tried to mop up the blood that was on his forehead.

"It's fine, Rose. It's fine. Go get help!" Jack told her, brushing her hand away.

"Jack, I'm not leaving you!" Rose exclaimed.

"Go get help!" Jack repeated. Rose stood there for a second. "Go!" She nodded, and ran off to go find help. Jack felt himself getting lightheaded, so he sat down on a nearby bench. Rose was running through the first-class hallway, banging on doors and screaming.

"HELP! HELP! WILL SOMEBODY PLEASE HELP ME!" she screamed. A few passengers opened the door. One of them Rose recognized as a doctor from the infirmary. "Sir! Sir, please, you've got to help me!" Rose ran over to him.

"Ma'am, it's nearly 5:30 in the morning!" replied the doctor.

"There's a man injured on the top deck! Near the bow! And another who tried to harm me! The injured man protected me from him and he's injured! Please! You've got to help me!" Rose pleaded to him. A crewmember ran down and grabbed Rose's shoulder.

"Sir, would you like me to take this woman away?" he asked. The man shook his head.

"No, there's an injured man on the deck and another who was trying to harm them. Bring security," replied the man.

"Yes, sir," said the crewmember, running away.

"Take me to this man, Miss," said the man. Rose nodded and ran up to the deck, the man at his heels. Jack was leaning half over on the bench when Rose came back.

"Jack! Jack!" she called. Jack looked up as Rose ran into his arms. "This is the injured man, sir." The doctor looked at Jack, then at Lovejoy on the ground.

"What about this chap? Looks like a first-class passenger," said the doctor.

"That's the man who tried to harm us, sir! Spicer Lovejoy is his name! He tried to do the same thing aboard the _Titanic_. He was told to do so by Caledon Hockley!" Rose told him, breathing heavily, tears appearing in her eyes. The guards arrived and looked at Jack and at the unconscious Lovejoy. The doctor pointed at Lovejoy, who started getting up.

"Arrest him," said the doctor, and the guards nodded and grabbed Lovejoy and handcuffed him. The doctor knelt down next to Jack and looked at his bleeding forehead. "This man needs to get to the infirmary." Rose nodded and shook Jack.

"Jack, Jack, you have to get to the infirmary!" she said to him. Jack didn't say anything, just kept his weakened head down. Rose kissed the top of his head and pulled him up off the bench. "Jack, come on! Please!" Jack almost collapsed on top of her, but the doctor and another guard helped him stand up again. "Come on, Jack. Come on! Jack! Jack!" Rose began to panic as Jack swayed and then fell into unconsciousness.

…

Jack awoke in the infirmary with Rose at his side. She was kneeling down next to him, her head on his shoulder. Jack lifted his head to kiss hers, and Rose slowly looked up at him.

"Jack!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around his neck. She began crying into his shoulder. "Jack, are you all right! I was so worried when you passed out last night! I cannot believe this!" She picked up her head and kissed his face several times.

"Rose, relax, I'm fine," Jack told her in a tired voice.

"Oh, thank goodness, Jack!" Rose exclaimed, dropping her head on his shoulder again.

"What happened anyway?" Jack asked her.

"Lovejoy had shot you in the side!" Rose exclaimed, lifting up his shirt to show his bandaged abdomen underneath his blood-soaked shirt. "Jack, please don't ever do that again! You're crazy for doing so!" She kissed him on the lips and pulled back as the doctor came in to check on him.

"Ah, Mr. Dawson! You're awake!" he exclaimed. He lifted Jack's shirt to check and make sure that Jack hadn't bled through the bandages. "You're looking better, sir."

"I would hope so," said Jack. Rose still had her arms around him.

"You could have bled to death if the young lady here didn't come to find me," said the doctor. "Well, Mr. Dawson. You're free to go." He left the infirmary, and Jack sat up, ignoring the striking pain in his side, to throw his arms around Rose and kiss her.

"Some love story, isn't it?" he said quietly to her. Rose laughed.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Well, we go down on the ship, we're both rescued, yet we don't see each other, we meet on the bow of a different ship and still don't know each other, when we do know, you're scared out of your mind, you back away, you spit in my eye, you run away, I can't catch you, I see you hiding from Lovejoy, you run away when I attack him, we fight, he shoots me, you come to my rescue and now here we are, our arms around each other and reflecting back," Jack explained. Rose laughed at that and kissed him again.

"Oh, Jack! I'm so happy to have you with me again!" she exclaimed, hugging him closer to her.

"Rose? Can we do this outside? I don't like infirmaries," Jack told her. Rose pulled back, a puzzled expression.

"You don't like infirmaries?" she repeated.

"Nope. They stick us with needles and shove crap up our asses," Jack replied, causing Rose to laugh.

"Oh, Jack," she said. She pulled back and allowed Jack to stand up. He wobbled a bit on his feet, but Rose was right there to balance him. She took off her coat and gave it to him, but he refused to take it.

"Keep it. You need it more than I do," he told her.

"But Jack! You've got a shot wound! And your shirt's covered in blood! Don't you want to hide it?" Rose asked him, the puzzled expression still on her face.

"No, not really. It sounds narcissistic, and I'm not Cal. Plus, I don't care about myself, I care about you," Jack told her, kissing her cheek. "By the way, you have a wound in the exact same place." Rose looked down at her own blood stained dress.

"Oh, of course," she said. Jack took the coat and put it back on her.

"Why don't we go find some food?" Jack asked. Rose smiled as they hugged each other again. Jack kissed the top of her head. "Come on. I'm starved!" They walked out of the infirmary, hand in hand.


End file.
